ok, that's weird.
I was looking for the previous chapter of bottle it up -- aka that ds_aprilfools fic -- so I could edit in a direct link in the header of the newest chapter, and... I don't see it in my journal? I posted it to AO3 back in May, but I either never did so here, or I somehow deleted it in the meantime. So here it is (again?), out of order.
Title: save your resolutions
Fandom: due South
Pairing: Fraser/Kowalski/Vecchio
Rating: general
Notes: Falls after meant to make me happy and before for your never new year. In the wake of a defining moment...
Eventually they broke apart, as they inevitably must, Ray moving away first and dropping his hand. Ben felt the sudden absence keenly, and it reminded him -- "What about you, Ray?"
"Me?" After slight pause, he smiled. "Well, since I know when to duck --"
"Oh, like you've never been shot," Ray objected.
"-- I'm not exactly medical retirement material. Two more years, though, and I could take early retirement."
Ray gave him a sharp look. "Will take it."
"Right," he replied amiably. "So, sandwiches?"
Ray turned to face him fully, one arm still around Ben. "Kowalski-- "
"What, I'm hungry and after all that work I don't want to cook. You want to cook?"
There followed the kind of heavy pause which Ben interpreted as Ray allowing Ray to change the subject only after a mutual acknowledgment that the change had been noted. "Work? Ha. I'm the one who spent the day lugging boxes."
"Yeah, half of which are full of crap that won't be useful up here, which I told you when you packed them, so you get no sympathy. Meanwhile, we hiked to hell and back, so we're not cooking. Neither of us," he added, mock-glaring Ben into agreement.
Honestly, he felt much more tired and worn than their simple hike could account for. Sandwiches sounded like the maximum he could contribute to the day's culinary efforts. He nodded, and Ray's expression lost its false severity. His fingers briefly smoothed the hair away from Ben's face, before he stepped away, and Ben was reminded of that quiet moment in the snow.
Ray went to the cupboards and icebox and started pulling out the necessary materials. Diefenbaker immediately put himself under foot. "Out, go, shoo," he said, not that Diefenbaker listened. He lifted his head and looked at Ben and Ray. "You, too, go sit. I got this."
He watched him, concern rising again, then turned to Ray. "Ray..." he trailed off, not sure what to ask.
"Yeah." Ray said, softly, steering him to sit on the sofa at the far side of the room rather than at the closer table. "We talked about it, you know." A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Jeez, can you imagine springing something like this on both of you? I don't think I'd have survived. We talked it over, and he agreed, but..."
But. Ben swallowed. He'd never wanted to come between them, never really imagined he could. "Then--"
"No." Ray's tone was resolute. Absolute. "The only way to prove it's not goodbye is to prove it. He's never really going to be sure of this, us, unless he tests it." His gaze lifted, and Ben would have known from the softness of his expression that he was watching Ray, even if he hadn't known Ray was in the room. "Look, you've got to trust me on this. Trust us. We'll make it work -- we have so far." His eyes slid back to meet Ben's, holding his gaze for a long moment until Ben nodded. He smiled and darted in to press a brief kiss against the corner of his mouth. "Good."
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Title: save your resolutions
Fandom: due South
Pairing: Fraser/Kowalski/Vecchio
Rating: general
Notes: Falls after meant to make me happy and before for your never new year. In the wake of a defining moment...
Eventually they broke apart, as they inevitably must, Ray moving away first and dropping his hand. Ben felt the sudden absence keenly, and it reminded him -- "What about you, Ray?"
"Me?" After slight pause, he smiled. "Well, since I know when to duck --"
"Oh, like you've never been shot," Ray objected.
"-- I'm not exactly medical retirement material. Two more years, though, and I could take early retirement."
Ray gave him a sharp look. "Will take it."
"Right," he replied amiably. "So, sandwiches?"
Ray turned to face him fully, one arm still around Ben. "Kowalski-- "
"What, I'm hungry and after all that work I don't want to cook. You want to cook?"
There followed the kind of heavy pause which Ben interpreted as Ray allowing Ray to change the subject only after a mutual acknowledgment that the change had been noted. "Work? Ha. I'm the one who spent the day lugging boxes."
"Yeah, half of which are full of crap that won't be useful up here, which I told you when you packed them, so you get no sympathy. Meanwhile, we hiked to hell and back, so we're not cooking. Neither of us," he added, mock-glaring Ben into agreement.
Honestly, he felt much more tired and worn than their simple hike could account for. Sandwiches sounded like the maximum he could contribute to the day's culinary efforts. He nodded, and Ray's expression lost its false severity. His fingers briefly smoothed the hair away from Ben's face, before he stepped away, and Ben was reminded of that quiet moment in the snow.
Ray went to the cupboards and icebox and started pulling out the necessary materials. Diefenbaker immediately put himself under foot. "Out, go, shoo," he said, not that Diefenbaker listened. He lifted his head and looked at Ben and Ray. "You, too, go sit. I got this."
He watched him, concern rising again, then turned to Ray. "Ray..." he trailed off, not sure what to ask.
"Yeah." Ray said, softly, steering him to sit on the sofa at the far side of the room rather than at the closer table. "We talked about it, you know." A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Jeez, can you imagine springing something like this on both of you? I don't think I'd have survived. We talked it over, and he agreed, but..."
But. Ben swallowed. He'd never wanted to come between them, never really imagined he could. "Then--"
"No." Ray's tone was resolute. Absolute. "The only way to prove it's not goodbye is to prove it. He's never really going to be sure of this, us, unless he tests it." His gaze lifted, and Ben would have known from the softness of his expression that he was watching Ray, even if he hadn't known Ray was in the room. "Look, you've got to trust me on this. Trust us. We'll make it work -- we have so far." His eyes slid back to meet Ben's, holding his gaze for a long moment until Ben nodded. He smiled and darted in to press a brief kiss against the corner of his mouth. "Good."
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